1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements to paddles used in the sport of kayaking. More specifically, the present invention relates to inventive modifications to the grips, shaft, and blades of kayak paddles.
2. The Relevant Technology
Kayaking is a growing sport in the United States and throughout the world. There are a number of different types of kayaking and the boats and paddles associated therewith are designed for the particular type of activity engaged in. Thus, there are both calm water kayaks and white water kayaks along with sea or ocean kayak. For centuries, Eskimos have paddled Arctic waterways to hunt and fish in kayaks, a type of canoe built from skins stretched over a frame. Today's high-tech versions of the kayak, made from plastic, Kevlar and fiberglass, are still decked with a cockpit for the rider, who propels the boat with a double-bladed paddle.
The sport of kayaking is growing rapidly in popularity. It is believe to be second only to snowboarding in growth. Driving that growth is a recent revolution in hull design that has made doing tricks, such as wave surfing, squirts and spins, much easier. There are an estimated 1.3 million white water kayakers in the United States, 400,000 of whom can be considered "enthusiasts." One of the reasons for the increasing popularity of the sport it that a kayaking can have solitude and wilderness on the one hand and excitement on the other.
Recent developments in kayaks has fueled the increased interest in the sport. In some instances, kayak builders have followed innovations in surfboards to come up with boats that "plane," riding on top of the water instead of in the water. The boat will lift and plane.
As kayaks have improved and developed additional sports and activities are possible. Where traditional kayakers simply traveled a waterway, modem kayakers to maneuvers and tricks to improve and demonstrate their skills. To promote these types of activities, kayak rodeos are springing up around the country. Many of today's rodeo boats are specifically designed to be used in rodeos. These boats are generally small and sharply angled. These boats, however, are not ideally suited for river running in that they are too slow and don't track. Thus, "park and play" is a growing phenomenon, while down-river running is declining in popularity. This marks an radical departure from the roots of these sports, which were born from the need to get from one place to another. Thus, innovation is allowing more people to get into kayaking and to do different things on a river.
As kayak's have evolved allowing the sport to evolve, there is also a need for improvements in paddle design. Generally, a kayak paddle is comprised of an aluminum or wood shaft. The shaft is generally approximately 1.25 inches in diameter. This diameter allows the user to directly grip the paddle. There are generally no specific grips or other structures to allow the user to securely hold the paddle. At times, the user may modify his own paddles by adding tape or other wrappings to make the paddle more comfortable and usable.
Attached to each end of the shaft is a blade. The blades are specifically designed for use in kayaking. The blades are rotated with respect to each other in order to allow the kayaker to effectively dig into the water and efficiently power the kayak in the desired direction. This configuration of the blades also facilitates recent developments in kayaking, such as rodeo competitions, slalom courses, and the like.
Generally, however, the development and improvement of the paddle has not kept pace with development in the kayaks themselves. In particular, paddles are not generally adjustable. Generally, the blades are securely fixed in place on the shaft. As a result, it is not possible to adjust the position of the blade on the shaft to accommodate different preferences on the part of kayakers or different uses of the paddle.
As mentioned above, conventional kayak paddles do not include grips or other structures to allow the user to grasp the paddle. Generally, the user simply grasps the shaft itself. In some environments and for some uses it would be an improvement to provide grips on the shaft of the paddle. It would also be helpful to provide grips which could be rotated and adjusted for individual preferences and for different uses of the paddles.
Another problem that is often encountered is that the paddle is pushed backward into the kayaker was the kayaker travels through rough white water or in the event the paddle strikes a solid object such as a rock. Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a safety pad on the shaft of the paddle. If would be a further advancement to provide such a pad which was less dense than water such that it would help with floatation of the paddle.
These and other advantages and improvements are provided by the present invention.